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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25091581">Payback of sorts</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/notquiteascrazy/pseuds/notquiteascrazy'>notquiteascrazy</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Unconventional Apologies [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Shadowhunters (TV), The Shadowhunter Chronicles - All Media Types</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alec Lightwood Deserves Nice Things, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Crack, Drunk Magnus Bane, Fluff, Fluff and Crack, Humor, Idiots in Love, M/M, Magnus is inspired by his boyfriend</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-07-05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 05:13:43</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,041</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25091581</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/notquiteascrazy/pseuds/notquiteascrazy</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>After his drunken antics cause Alec to get hurt, it’s Magnus’ turn to find a novel way to apologise</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Unconventional Apologies [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1817275</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>116</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Fluff vs. Angst Battle 2020</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Payback of sorts</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“Maybe we should walk home?” Alec suggested, grabbing Magnus’ arm as he swayed slightly on the spot. The portal he had conjured in the back wall of the Hunter’s Moon was wobbling around the edges in an alarming way and his boyfriend was just barely staying upright. Magnus just blinked up at him questioningly.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I think maybe a drinking contest with Izzy and Maia might have been a bad idea and maybe you shouldn’t use magic right now,” he reprimanded, with a firm hand on Magnus’ lower back steering him back towards the street.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Nonsense!” Magnus slurred. Closing the portal with a squint. “Your sister and Maia are in far worse states than I!” He gestured grandly at himself before losing balance and pitching forwards slightly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>Alec grabbed a handful of his jacket to stop Magnus from faceplanting into the alley floor and pulled him back upright again.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That may be so, but neither of them are attempting to use magic right now. In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if both of them passed out face down on the bar for the night!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Magnus glared at Alec slightly before straightening up and dusting off his jacket. With a distinct air of nonchalance, he asked “Well Alexander, I think it’s a beautiful evening for a stroll. Care to join me?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Alec laughed softly before linking his arm through Magnus’ crooked elbow. His boyfriend led them with purpose back into the street, heading towards the loft. Despite his confident stride, Alec could see the look of concentration on Magnus’ face as he tried to act sober. His eyes were focussed resolutely straight ahead, though he’d occasionally squint one of them. It probably wouldn’t be wise to point out to Magnus that his efforts to appear in control were wasted as he was leading Alec on a zig-zagging path down the sidewalk.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They made it home mostly in one piece with only one minor incident involving a trash can that </span>
  <em>
    <span>definitely </span>
  </em>
  <span>moved itself into Magnus’ path, it definitely wasn’t the other way round. As Alec manoeuvred him into the lift, he found himself grateful that he’d stuck to just the one beer and instead had observed the carnage as Izzy, Maia and Magnus had sank shot after shot of tequila. He was fairly certain that his sister had used a rune or two to keep up, Shadowhunters generally didn’t have the same constitution werewolves had, or the tolerance his centuries-old Warlock boyfriend had built up.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Magnus’ eyes were drooping now - the effects of the late-night and copious amounts of alcohol clearly taking effect. He was dropping sloppy kisses along Alec’s jaw as he rested his body weight against Alec’s chest. The door dinged to announce their arrival at their floor. Wrapping his arms back around Magnus, Alec was grateful for his Shadowhunter strength and agility as Magnus was practically a deadweight at this point.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Magnus,” he said softly, “Can you?” he gestured with his hands, a poor imitation of the Warlock’s unlocking spell.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Magnus’ head lolled on Alec’s shoulder but he still managed to unlock the loft door with blue sparks dancing from his fingertips. Alec waited until the magic abated before lifting Magnus’ hand to his lips and pressing a soft kiss to his knuckles.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You have a thing for my magic, Alexander,” Magnus chuckled softly.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I have a thing for you.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Magnus swooned dramatically, pressing the rear of his hand to his forehead as he leaned back almost falling to the floor as he twisted out of Alec’s hold.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>By this point, both of them were laughing together. Magnus righted himself so he could press his forehead against Alec’s, breath ghosting against his lips. They stumbled towards the bedroom, exchanging soft kisses along the way.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Alec guided his drunk Warlock to the bed and urged him to sit down so he could remove his boots. As he dropped to one knee though a shower of blue sparks engulfed them both and Alec suddenly found himself in nothing but his boxer briefs.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m surprised you managed that considering the mess you almost made with that portal earlier?” Alec chastised, raising his eyebrow though he doubted Magnus would see him in the dark of the room.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Pshhh it was only a little magic,” Magnus mumbled back. “Though the makeup is a bigger issue, can you help with that darling?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Definitely. In your state, you’d probably magic away your eyeballs rather than your eyeliners.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Ridiculous, just like it when you look after me.” A soft thud told Alec that Magnus had collapsed back onto the bed.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He smiled to himself, debating turning on a light but deciding that it was easy enough to get to the en-suite in the dark and he didn’t want to disturb Magnus who was breathing softly on the bed.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Dammit,” he exclaimed.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>After a few steps, he regretted his decision not to turn a light on having stood on something that most definitely did not belong in the middle of the bedroom floor. He hopped on one foot, gripping the other tightly in one hand. Whatever he had stood on was metallic and spikey and hurt like hell. He rubbed at the sole of his foot for a moment until the pain receded before he gingerly placed it back on the floor.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Blinking in the darkness to get his bearings, he decided it would be prudent to turn a light on after all, Magnus would just have to deal with it. Stepping back the way he came he expected the path to be clear, however, it seemed that when Magnus magicked their clothes away he’d just abandoned them on the floor rather than sending them into the cupboard or laundry basket where they belonged.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Which is how his foot managed to roll over his stele causing him to lose balance entirely. His arms windmilled in the air uselessly for a moment before he landed with a crash. So much for graceful Shadowhunter reflexes, he thought grimly. At least no one had witnessed him in his moment of weakness. Plus Magnus would never remember this in the morning, having drunk his body weight in shots.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He went to lever himself back up off the ground but pushing down through his palm only caused shooting pains to lance up his arms. Collapsing on his back for a moment, he raised his hand in the air and tried to rotate his wrist only to cause further pains.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Fuck!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The bedside lamp flickered on and suddenly Magnus was sat upright, peering at him in confusion.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Why are you on the floor?” he asked, head tilted to the side and eyes squinting at the sudden brightness.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Fell over all this,” Alec sat up and gestured at the carnage he could now see. The bedroom floor was littered with their trousers, jackets, shirts, and shoes.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oops. I thought I’d put it all away.” Magnus giggled, “Aren’t Shadowhunters meant to be able to see in the dark?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Not without runes we can’t,” Alec explained trying to keep his voice even. Magnus was still giggling to himself on the bed, though he stopped abruptly when he realised the awkward angle Alec was holding his arm at.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Are you ok, darling?” He shuffled off the bed and came over to kneel at Alec’s side, concern etched in every aspect of his face.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Uh, think my wrist might be broken. Need to find my stele, an iratze should sort it out.” Alec said, breathing through gritted teeth. He thought himself quite tough usually, all Nephilim had a pretty high pain tolerance. But most injuries occurred mid-fight where adrenaline helped hold off the worst of the pain. He wasn’t used to dealing with broken bones in the bedroom!</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Magnus grimaced apologetically and reached to something resting by Alec’s leg, holding up half of a stele.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m not sure your stele will do you much good.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Dammit,” he groaned. “I really don’t want to have to go into the institute tomorrow and explain that I tripped and broke not only my stele but my wrist too. I’m meant to be the Head of the Institute. No one will ever take me seriously again.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I could heal it for you?” Magnus offered, palms already drifting down towards the injured wrist in preparation.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No!” Alec practically yelled, pulling back the injured limb with a wince. “No,” he added softer, “you’ve had a lot to drink tonight. Let’s just wait until morning and you can heal it then?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Magnus pouted, “I’m sure I could heal you just fine. But ok, we’ll wait until morning.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Alec made his way over to the bed, remorsefully telling Magnus, “I’m sorry, you’ll have to sort your own makeup out.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Of course darling, now I need to take care of you instead.” Magnus seemed to have sobered up significantly at Alec’s injury. He moved over to the bed and pressed a soft kiss to Alec’s forehead before leaving to remove his makeup.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Alec settled back on the pillows, careful to bracket his arm against his body and hoped that he wouldn’t roll onto it in the night.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>~</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The following morning, Alec woke up with a start to Magnus running his hands softly down his arm. Sitting up with a groan and remembering the previous nights incident he looked down to see his wrist bruised a dark purple colour.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Am I allowed to heal you now?” Magnus asked with a smirk.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Are you sober now?” Alec grouched back, face set in a serious frown, lips downturned and eyebrows knitted together. He tried to fold his arms over his chest but only ended up wincing in pain as he twisted his wrist wrong.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Magnus couldn’t help but burst out laughing at his adorable Shadowhunter looking so petulant.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What’s so funny?” Alec demanded.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You just look so sad,” Magnus wheezed out, still laughing.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“And that’s funny to you how?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I don’t know. It’s just, the look on your face. I’m so used to you in </span>
  <em>
    <span>Shadowhunter Mode</span>
  </em>
  <span> that this is a nice reminder of your more human side sometimes.” Magnus tried to explain, kissing at the side of Alec’s mouth.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Alec twisted his head away from him with a grunt. Standing, he observed the room, seeking out his clothes. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What are you doing?” Magnus asked, confused.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“If you’re just going to laugh at me, I’ll go back to the Institute. Get my stele fixed and get healed while I’m there, by actual professionals who don’t laugh at other people’s pain.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He hissed in pain as he pulled his shirt over his head but continued to dress as swiftly as he could.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Alec, I’m sorry,” Magnus said, voice soft and eyes filled with concern.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Much as Alec wanted to believe him, his pride was dented and he just wanted to get out of there.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It’s fine Magnus, I’ll call you later.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>~</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sometime mid-afternoon there was a knock on his office door, whoever it was not waiting for a response before turning the knob.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Sorry to disturb you Alec, but this just arrived with your name on it. I think it’s Magnus’ handwriting?” Izzy walked in carrying a large box which she unceremoniously deposited on his desk before making herself comfy in the chair opposite him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It’s pretty big but reasonably light, I’m thinking jewellery, “ she eyed him curiously.  “No, actually, maybe sex toys? Magnus seems like the sort to send them to work to tease you.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Alec simply glared at her before grabbing a pair of scissors from his desk drawer and scoring through the tape sealing the box. Inside was a good amount of shredded red paper stuffing, padding out whatever was contained within. He rifled through until his fingers touched on something hard.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Pulling it out he snorted inelegantly, holding up an exceptionally large carrot with the words ‘</span>
  <em>
    <span>Maybe this will help you see in the dark!’</span>
  </em>
  <span> written in neat black letters. He was just about to throw the offending vegetable across the room when he noticed there was more writing on the other side of the carrot.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>‘</span>
  <em>
    <span>Sorry for laughing at you</span>
  </em>
  <span>’ the reverse said.</span>
</p><p><br/>
<span>Pulling out his phone, he snapped a picture and sent it to Magnus with the message ‘</span>
  <em>
    <span>You were already forgiven, but I might rescind that now’</span>
  </em>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>And that is how Magnus &amp; Alec ended up with a collection of magically preserved vegetables the only grew with their relationship…</p><p>Want to chat to other Malec fans? Come hang out in the <a href="https://discord.gg/5nBgEp8">Malec Discord Server</a>!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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